Crossplayers To Convention Perverts: If You Have To Touch Someone’s Chest, Touch Ours

Written by Sarah Said

Chosen for you by

Crossplay, a practice where one dresses up as a character from the opposite sex, has continued to become increasingly popular within the anime, comic book and video game communities. This dressing practice stems from cosplay, which, simply put, is the act of wearing a fictional character’s costume. Though a woman personifying a male role tends to be more popular than the contrary, both sides are often seen participating at large and public entertainment-based conventions around the world.

According to Craig Norris and Jason Bainbridge, writers published in Intersections: Gender and Sexuality in Asia and the Pacific, an academic journal by Australian National University, cosplay is comparable to performance art. By taking on the physicalities of a particular character through costume, accessories, gesture and attitude, you are not just ‘dressing up’ but instead embodying all aspects of their disposition, which is also a mental transformation. That being said, crossplayers are not only taking on the corporeal aspects, but the gender, and all it entails, as well.

Though it is very common to see both cosplay and crossplay at large-scale events, there is still a lot of hatred and harassment being spewed within these circles. “After all, there is no cultural stigma attached to females wearing male clothes, so female cosplayers dress as male characters very casually, often without ever thinking about the fact that it is crossplay. Males dressed as females, on the other hand, are actively violating social rules, so both the crossplayer and the spectator are far more conscious of the male’s choice than they would be of a female’s,” writes David Ng for TokyoPop.

Keeping this in mind, two male Japanese crossplayers, @ALL_SSR and @futa_free, took their controversial costumes as an opportunity to do good and take a stand against female sexual harassment. They took to Twitter to shed some light on issues that many women face at these gatherings. “Seriously, no matter how exposed a female cosplayer is, she, like many others, is not ‘that kind of girl’. Groping and molesting women is wrong. If you really want to touch somebody’s [chest], come see us! We’ll let you cop a little feel. Just a little. During the event only,” ALL_SSR wrote, ending it off with a heart emoji.

The two attached an adorable photo of themselves dressed in their costumes under their inspiring caption and received many replies. One user was eager to accept the offer with their response. “Seriously?? Can I give them a squeeze?” While many women took the news with appreciation and shared some supporting words.“Your way of thinking is the best! And you being pretty is the cherry on top!” one wrote.

The Tweet was not only able to help the women present feel safer, but it opened up a conversation that is frequently overlooked by media. The Los Angeles Times reveals that at Comic-Con and other similar conventions across America, many attendees have been known to grope, stalk and take “upskirt” photos of others. There is even a term coined for the act, “Creeping at Con,” which is done easily thanks to the anonymity of the costumed predators. In response to a petition submitted by a group entitled Geeks for CONsent, that encouraged organizers to post signs in the convention halls listing its anti-harassment policies, Comic-Con sent an email doing just that and encouraged guests to enlist security if they felt unsafe. Advocating against exploitation is being encouraged thanks to the growth of concerns being voiced on social platforms.

Big changes are definitely not immediate, but continual discourse is necessary to further healthy environments for both men and women in regards to abuse of any kind. Small courses of action like that of the crossplayer friends can make a real difference and can serve as a wake-up call to those still in the dark.

More From Providr

Related Posts

Everybody wants to have the perfect teeth. Some people wear braces to get the super straight, others are lucky enough to not need braces but want pearly whites. Regardless what you aim for, having perfect smile adds a lot to your confidence and how you feel. Having a healthy mouth …

There are always those photos you see that make you feel better for not being in that moment. It might be because we know that moment is horrible. Or that the moment just after, ended in complete disaster. Either way, looking at these photos makes us feel a little better …

An immigrant caravan made up of over 1000 people made its way across Mexico to the United States border in order to seek political asylum. According to Rafael Bernal at The Hill, most of the people comprising the caravan were traveling from Honduras, where they were fleeing the government of …

Bill Cosby, who has now been found guilty of three felony counts of aggravated indecent assault, has reportedly compared his prison sentence to that of the late Nelson Mandela. About 11 months after Cosby’s first trial ended in a mistrial, Cosby was determined guilty by a jury of seven men …

Dimitrios Pagourtzis, the 17-year old accused of committing the recent shooting in a Santa Fe high school that left 10 people dead, will not face the death penalty if he is convicted. He would also be eligible for parole after 40 years in prison. This is because of two Supreme …

Purchasing online can be very risky. I mean, you see a product you want looking one way online, and then when it arrives at your home it looks COMPLETELY different. Sometimes, the color just might be off…but that can be a huge deal for some people. Meet Marie Stent. You …

Hannah Lester is a 29-year-old woman from Puxico, Missouri and she lost over one hundred pounds after changing her lifestyle and eating habits. Standing at 5 feet 6 inches tall and at one point weighing more than 285 pounds, Hannah knew she had to make some changes. During an interview …

We all have our favorite foods that we just love to eat. Usually, those favorite foods aren’t the healthiest of choices for us, but hey, we can control ourselves right? Well, some more than others. Honestly, the people who are addicted to vegetables or healthy stuff are pretty damn lucky. …

Michael Andrew Fox also known as Michael J. Fox is a Canadian American actor, author, and activist. The actor is most known for his role in the Back to the Future trilogy as Marty McFly and he has amassed five Emmys, four Golden Globes, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. …

There’s a lot of good people that exist in this world. You don’t have to know someone personally to do something that is exceptionally kind. This story is surely one that will help you realize that with all the hardships that are going on in this world, there is still …

Dennis Quaid is a talented actor with a career spanning over many decades, but the Hollywood lifestyle didn’t come without consequences or obstacles for the star. Born in the suburbs of Houston, Texas, Dennis Quaid was a 21-year-old drama student at the University of Houston when he decided to leave his …

Reality TV star Khloe Kardashian has finally come out of nesting since giving birth to her daughter, True Thompson, on April 12. She took her almost one-month-old baby girl out for a stroll in a Cleveland, Ohio park. As you can imagine, paparazzi weren’t far behind to get the first …

Victoria Arlen has lived through more obstacles and suffering than anyone could ever conceive. From 2006 to 2010, Arlen was dealing with a combination of two extremely rare diseases, Transverse Myelitis and Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis. The amalgamation of both sicknesses, the first being a disorder that causes inflammation of the …

Kylie Jenner and Travis Scott gave their first big Stormi reveal when their daughter turned one month old on Friday. The parents first shared a video showing their journey a few days after the birth of their bundle of joy, but didn’t include footage of their newborn. The video “To …

A Welsh coroner has ruled it was unacceptable that a five-year-old girl died after she was turned away by doctor Joanne Rowe for being minutes late to her appointment, back in 2015. Ellie-May Clark was scheduled for an emergency appointment because of breathing difficulties related to her asthma. Mother Shanice Clark …

According to Telegraph News, women generally live longer than men. The life expectancy for women at birth is 82.9 years and for men, it’s 79.2 years. It may not seem like a large gap, but living an extra three years is a big difference. With that said, it’s time for …

Sadly, every day there are babies born addicted to opioids and fighting for their lives. They need special love and care in order for them to make it through the withdrawal process, which can be excruciating. With these newborns potentially spending weeks, even months in the NICU, hospitals around North …

An American Idol contestant says he was “uncomfortable” after Katy Perry kissed him on the lips without asking during his audition. Oklahoma musician Benjamin Glaze, 19 at the time of the audition, started his routine by jokingly mentioning that his job as a cashier meant he could meet “cute girls.” …

Legendary music troupe the Backstreet Boys have kicked off 2018 with a brand new music video, dancing like they first did way back in 1999! The new single track released is titled “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” (not to be confused with Elton John’s song of the same title) and …

If you’ve never gotten into some disagreement or other with your neighbor, you should consider yourself lucky. It’s natural that there will be tension when you live in close proximity to someone else. It can be a big argument or issue, but usually, the disagreements or problems are petty. With …

Anyone who’s been in labor knows it’s no walk in the park. Different women have different ways of coping with contractions and dealing with all the pain that leads up to actually giving birth. Some ask for a ton of drugs to numb the pain, others just latch on to …

The 2018 Oscars were marked with a ton of controversy this year. Whether it be being interviewed on the red carpet by Ryan Seacrest, who came under fire after his former personal stylist alleged that he touched her inappropriately, or just reminiscing on the embarrassing gaffe last year when the …

Emile Wickham is a 31-year-old man who was rewarded $10,000 dollars in a settlement after the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal found a Chinese restaurant guilty of discrimination. According to ABC News, it was on May 3, 2014, when Emile and his three friends went to Hong Shing Chinese Restaurant in …

The Waffle House shooting began at 3:23 AM on Sunday, April 22nd. A man who has now been identified as Travis Reinking approached the restaurant in the Antioch neighborhood of Nashville, Tennessee, clad only in a green jacket and carrying an AR-15 style rifle. He opened fire outside the Waffle …

For those of you who don’t know, O.J. Simpson, he was an NFL superstar who was inducted into the NFL Hall Of Fame in 1985. But most people know Simpson from the Nicole Brown and Ron Goldman murders on June 12, 1994. Simpson was a prime suspect in the murders …

Not one person can say that they don’t have a burden they have been carrying throughout their life. Events take place, people are told secrets and asked to keep them from others. It can be exhausting to keep confidential information from leaking, but sometimes there is no other choice. Boredpanda …

We have all come across a person that was really pure. What we mean by this is that they were too good-hearted. These people warm up our hearts but also make us laugh because they are hard to come by. Below is a list of 25 people who are just way …

On the morning of May 3rd, President Trump issued a series of tweets clarifying remarks made by his newly hired lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, regarding a payment of $130,000 made to adult film star Stormy Daniels by former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen. Giuliani revealed the information that Trump had reimbursed the …

Fortnite is a co-op game that is developed by Epic Games and according to Metro, it has accumulated nearly three and a half million players. This makes Fortnite Battle Royale one of the biggest games of the year so far. The game is so popular that the number one streamer …

Whether it’s your New Year’s resolution or just a simple decision to start taking care of your body, losing weight is never a poor lifestyle choice. The issue though is that there are so many ‘fad’ diets out there that are not sustainable, not to mention unhealthy. Take the 13-day …

Nara Almeida was a Brazilian model, but aside from her beautiful looks and nearly 5 million Instagram followers, what made her so uniquely special and distinct was the fact that she spread positivity up until her untimely death by cancer at 24 years old. According to The Sun, Nara was …

Kate Middleton always seems to look good, poised and better-dressed than the average person even in ‘casual wear.’ Considering she’s royalty and has an appearance to maintain, it’s not surprising her look is always on point. But her level of perfection reached a whole other level when she came out …

Women have come a long way in the fight for gender equality. There are still some issues that haven’t been completely sorted out but we are getting there. Regardless of gender equality, there are some things that women experience that majority of men don’t. This could be something like having …

Having someone put something in your drink is serious. Women have found themselves being drugged without their knowledge because they took their eyes off of their drink for only a couple of seconds. It’s rare that they even see who drugged them. However, at a festival in Brazil, it appeared …

Many of us know Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson as a famous actor and celebrity. But before he took over our television screens he was the WWE champ known as ‘The Rock.’ He is currently the ninth most followed person on Instagram and the 45-year-old recently shared a touching Instagram post …

The opening night of Taylor Swift’s Reputation tour kicked off May 8th at the University of Phoenix Stadium, in Arizona, packed with over fifty thousand cheering fans, a record-breaking crowd for the venue, according to USA Today. “And in the death of her reputation, she felt truly alive,” is the …

So Avengers: Infinity War was amazing, right? Wait, what do you mean you haven’t seen it yet? Are you serious? Oh, You’re just making a silly joke. Of course you’ve seen it! No one would want to miss this huge movie event. You’re not joking. Okay, here’s what’s going to happen right …

Because the sheer absurd awfulness of human nature knows no bounds, conspiracy theorists took to the internet after the recent Parkland shooting to claim that survivor David Hogg was actually an FBI plant. In fact, a video claiming that the grieving teen was actually an actor was promoted by Youtube …

Frank and Jennifer Massabki had traveled to Mexico in May 2017 looking for a potential location for their wedding. They had barely begun their journey when they were kidnapped, robbed, and beaten. Despite the terrifying circumstances, the couple managed to escape and make it out of the situation alive. The …

The truth is, modern society has quite a few things to be criticized for. The way we communicate with one another, our politics and our current technologies are worlds away from what they used to be. Some agree with the way society does things in the present day, and others …

A young genius entrepreneur with a love for the ecosystem named Boyan Slat has vowed to do something about the growing threat of humanity’s plastic waste in our oceans. According to Wikipedia, when Slat was 16 he was diving in the waters of Greece where he encountered more plastic in …

We all tend to have our own favorite animals but apparently, this one animal seems to be everyone’s favorite over at Czech Republic’s Prague Zoo. Richard the Gorilla is known for his ‘smouldering poses’ and sultry glances. Richard has been described as photogenic, and he has become famous for his …

A new Netflix horror film has horror fans proclaiming it to be the scariest film ever made. Veronica, a new Spanish language horror movie directed by Paco Plaza, has people turning it off before even finishing because it is proving to be so frightening. The Hollywood Reporter says Veronica has …

Everyone is born with similar and different genetics. Take hair color, for example, some people are born with brown hair and black hair, and others are born with red hair. Sometimes genetics provide people with certain advantages, and according to scientific research, redheads have genetic advantages that others do not. …

Seeing stories about people helping and saving animals makes any crummy day turn around. Meet Rose, an Orangutan from North Sumatra, Indonesia. Last month, authorities that were working for the Gunung Leuser National Park alerted wildlife rescuers. They informed them about an emaciated orangutan that was wandering around a farmland. …

Whether you’re male or female, you would much rather have a flat stomach than a heavy one. Not only does it look better, but it’s much healthier. Unfortunately, abdominal fat is the most difficult fat to get rid of. If you’re only exercising, then you can be sure that your …

A handwritten note found on a dollar bill used in Wisconsin appeared to be written by a missing girl. Mikelle Biggs, who went missing from her home in Mesa, Arizona in 1999, was mentioned in the note. The handwritten text on the dollar bill read “My name is Mikel [sic] …

Detective John Q Reg stared at the street before him. Never before had he witnessed such a horrific scene. Across the street was the last known location of the perpetrator, that slimy no good son of a nutcracker. This was the worst case of jaywalking the Detective had ever seen. …

Kei Mieno, a 33-year-old artist from Hiroshima, Japan creates incredible hyperrealistic oil paintings that have been showcased in multiple exhibitions in Japan as well as in art publications. Mieno has been painting professionally for over 10 years and graduated from Hiroshima City University’s Faculty of Arts Department of Fine Arts …

Iconic would be too small of a word to describe the greatest pomp-rock band of the 70’s, Queen. A quartet of talented Brits that changed the world with their complex harmonies, elaborate instrumentals and opera-like vocals with timeless anthems like We Will Rock You, Somebody to Love and We Are …